Anti-skid pad for bootblack&#39;s stand



June 6, 1961 M. o. WILLIAMS 2,986,763

ANTI-SKID PAD FOR BOOTBLACKS STAND Filed Jan. 18, 1960 Mi/us 0. Williams 1N VEN TOR.

W ME,

United States Patent 2,986,763 ANTI-SKID PAD FOR BOOTBLACKS STAND Milus 0. Williams, 1609 E. Houston St., San Antonio, Tex. Filed Jan. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 3,085 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-265) The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in a readily applicable and removable coverlike pad for use on and in association with the footrest of a conventional-type bootblacks stand and has to do, more particularly, with a rubber or an equivalent compressibly resilient pad having improved anti-skid means and other improvements to be hereinafter revealed.

As the preceding general statement of the subject matter of invention reveals, rubber and equivalent slip-on covers and pads for footrests are not new. Several prior patents could, no doubt, be properly referred to here as exemplary of the state of the art to which the instant in vention relates. However, it will suflice, somewhat by way of introduction, to merely mention Pat. No. 1,539,159 of May 26, 1925, granted to Cobel and pertaining to a cover for foot supports. This prior patent involves a construction characterized by sole and heel components or portions relatively offset to aocommodatingly fit the correspondingly positioned sole and heel plates of the stands footrest. Suitable anti-slipping means is provided on the exposed or top surfaces of the components. In addition, these components have depending marginal continuous flange means provided at the bottom with an inturned sung-fitting and retaining lip.

With a view toward improving upon the above mentioned patent and any prior adaptations that may be classified as germane, it is an object in the instant endeavor to provide a special structural adaptation which features recognizable and appreciable refinements and better functioning facilities.

Although not of chief importance, it will be noticed that the special adaptation herein disclosed utilizes substantial anti-skid ribs which not only reinforce the body portions of the sole and heel components, but offer definite advantages. That is to say, the ribs are separate and independent and are spaced apart in parallelism to provide intervening grooves which are open at the ends and which are sufficiently deep to facilitate cleaning dirt that would otherwise lodge between the ribs, thus maintaining the desired anti-skid properties of the ribs. The ribs are transverse but are disposed on oblique angles and the respective end portions are nicely rounded off.

A marginal encompassing depending flange is provided on the coacting sole and heel components and this flange is deep and of requisite elasticity. The flange embracing the heel component has inturned lip means, the bight portion of which is wide and straight-edged to promote reliable maintenance of this part on the heel plate of the stand.

The flange portion encompassing the sole component is provided interiorly with an elongated, U-shaped bead or rib and it will be noticed that this is spaced above the bottom edge of the flange and also below the body portion of the sole component to define a channel for keying and retention of the edge portion of the sole plate on the stand. Further reference to this improved construction will be made later on.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of an anti-skid cover-pad Patented June 6, 1 961 e If:

for a duplex stand constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view also in perspective but disclosing the underneath features of the pad;

FIG. 3 is a view showing the stand in section with the pad applied and also appearing in section; and

FIGS. 4 and 5- are sections on the lines 44 and 5-5 of FIG. 3, respectively.

The over-all cover-pad is made of moldable rubber or equivalent compressibly resilient material with requisite elastic or wear resistant properties. It is characterized, as already touched upon, by two main portions; namely, the sole portion 6 and the heel portion 8. The weblike body 10 and 12 of each component is provided with transverse anti-skid ribs 14 which are obliquely disposed and are spaced apart to provide intervening openended. grooves 16. These ribs not only reinforce the body portions 10 and 12 but are primarily there for antiskid needs. They are of substantial rectangular crosssectional shape and are linearly straight and the opposite end portions are rounded, as at 18. The heel component 8 is downwardly oifset so that a shoulder 20 exists at the juncture of the two components 6 and 8 which is adapted to abut the shoulder portion A on the footrest of the stand B as seen in FIG. 3. The sole plate is here denoted at C and the heel plate at D. Manifestly, the components 6 and 8- are made to snugly fit over and conform with the features A, C and D.

The entire marginal edge of the sole and heel components is provided with a lateral depending circumscribing flange 22 adapted to encompass and retain the pad in place on the footrest. It will be noticed that this flange is relatively wide and provides a comparatively deep elastic skirt which extends well below the bottom of the footrest. The extreme bottom edge on the heel component has an inturned, right angularly disposed lip for retentively embracing the edges of the heel plate of the footrest as shown particularly in FIG. 3. It will be noticed that this lip is substantially U-shaped (FIG. 2) in plan and that the bight portion 24 is widest in dimension and has a straight across edge 26. It follows that arm portions 28 are narrower and the free forward ends 30 terminate about flush with the position of the shoulder 30.

The interior of the median portion of the flange 22 of the sole component 6 has an elongated inturued attaching and retaining head or rib which is also U-shaped in plan and is elongated so that its length is commensurate with the length of the body 10. This bead is denoted at 32 and it will be observed that it is spaced downwardly from the underneath side of the tread or body portion 10, and it is also spaced upwardly from the bottom edge of the flange. It therefore providesa channel between itself and the underneath side for reception and keyed retention of the marginal edges of the sole plate of the footrest. That portion 34 of the flange depending below the plane of the head 32 functions as a means to facilitate applying and removing the sole portion of the pad and also as a guard. That is to say, with this depending portion 34 there is less likelihood of one accidentally kicking or otherwise having free access to the keying head 32 and dislodging it from the foot plate C, as is obvious. Also, by using this deep flange, it is in the nature of a skirt and has the desired flexibility so that one can spread and bend the flange or skirt in such a way that it is not diflicult to apply a flange. Once it is applied, it stays put. Then, too, this portion 34 depends below the plane of the plate C so that it provides an effective guard for the shoeshine boy who might otherwise strike the edge with a brush or polishing rag or in some other manner strike his hands against the bead 32 and perhaps dislodge it.

The leg portions 36 of the U-shaped bead do not extend 3 all the way to the shoulder 30. As seen in FIG. 2, these legs gradually decrease or diminish in cross-section and taper toward and terminate in a feather-like end 38. By providing this gradually rounded or cam-like surface, one can more readily slip the pad into position over the plate C when originally installing or applying the pad. It will be noticed, too, that the terminal ends 30 are spaced from the terminals 38 and that the lip means on the heel component 8 is therefore in a plane not only below the plane of the head 32 but below the plane of the edge portion 34.

It seems to this applicant that one reason why cover pads have apparently not always met with widespread adoption and use is because they lack the necessary overall facilities to fulfill the desired requirements of an article in this category. As a result of much painstaking thought and consideration of the entire problem, it is believed that the construction herein shown and revealed is indeed the answer to the problem. Like many other articles, one actually has to see and use the pad to fully appreciate the fine points and advantages thereof. Experimental models currently in use are serving the intended purposes well and it is believed that the pad herein disclosed fully serves the manufacturing requirements and economies of manufacturers, is something that will be endorsed by proprietors of shoeshine parlors and the workers there, and will, what is also significant, appeal to members of the public who often have so much difficulty in keeping the foot steady and against slippage and displacement while getting a shoeshine.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

An anti-skid attachment for the usual footrest provided on a bootblacks stand comprising a compressibly resilient one-piece pad having integrated sole and heel components conformable in shape and size to the sole and heel portions of said footrest, each component having a tread surface, said surfaces having molded anti-skid ribs which are linearly straight and extend obliquely and transversely across said tread surfaces, said ribs being separate and independent, rectangular and prominent in cross-section, having rounded terminal ends, being spaced apart in approximate parallelism and providing relatively deep open-ended grooves between themselves which are easy to keep clean and free of dirt, the entire marginal edge of the sole and heel components having a lateral depending circumscribing flange adapted to encompass and retain the pad in place on said footrest, said flange being relatively wide and providing a comparatively deep elastic skirt which extends well below the bottom of the footrcst, the extreme bottom edge of the flange of the heel component having an inturned right angularly disposed lip for retentively embracing the edges of the heel plate of said footrest, said lip being U-shaped in plan and the bight portion being widest in dimension and having a straightacross inner edge effecting a reliable gripping and retaining result, the interior of the median portion of the flange on said sole component having an elongated inturned attaching and retaining bead also U-shaped in plan, said head being spaced downwardly from the underneath side of the tread portion and spaced upwardly from the bottom edge of said flange and providing a channel between itself and said underneath side for reception and keyed-retention of the marginal edges of the sole plate of the footrest, that portion of the flange depending below the plane of the bead functioning as means to facilitate applying and removing the sole portion of the pad and also as a guard, said heel component being in a plane below the plane of the sole component and providing a shoulder at the juncture of the heel and sole components, said U-shaped bead having a bight portion and leg portions, the ends of the leg portions being definitely spaced from said shoulder and gradually diminishing in crosssection and tapering to feather-like tips, the free ends of the arm portions of the aforementioned U-shaped lip being flush with the shoulder but spaced rearwardly from the said feather-like tips.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 789,621 Mathewson et al. May 9, 1905 1,539,159 Cobel May 26, 1925 1,584,659 Schacht May 11, 1926 1,841,710 Byrne et al. Jan. 19, 1932 2,584,831 Bashara Feb. 5, 1952 2,840,845 Wood July 1, 1958 

